Hydraulic sickle knife drive on a combine header

Abstract

A sickle knife drive for an agricultural vehicle generally includes a first pump, a first motor, a second motor and a drive manifold having a plurality of connections used for connecting to other devices of the sickle knife drive and/or to devices outside of the sickle knife drive. Operation of the first pump in a forward direction causes the first motor to drive a sickle knife gearbox to cut a crop. During the forward direction, the second motor provides cooling to the fluid circuit. When the first pump direction is reversed, the agricultural vehicle supplements a fluid flow to the fluid circuit to clear any jammed crop from the sickle knives.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sickle knife drive for a cutter bar on a header of an agricultural combine, the sickle knife drive comprising:
 a hydraulic drive manifold having a plurality of connections comprising a first pump connection, a first motor connection, a second motor connection, a combine connection, and a manifold case drain connection, the combine connection being configured for connecting to the combine, the manifold case drain connection being configured to connect to the combine; 
 a first pump in fluid connection with the first pump connection and configured to mechanically couple to a power transmission device, the first pump comprising a first pump case drain being configured to connect to the combine, the first pump creating at least one system state comprising at least one of a forward state, a reverse state, and a neutral state, the hydraulic drive manifold comprising a forward position during the forward state, a reverse position during the reverse state, and either the forward position or the reverse position during the neutral state; 
 a first motor in fluid connection with the first motor connection and configured to drive a sickle knife gear box, the first motor comprising a first motor case drain being configured to connect to the combine, the first motor operating in a reverse direction when in the reverse state with a reverse flow through the first motor; and 
 a second motor in fluid connection with the second motor connection, the second motor providing a flow that supplements fluid in a circuit between the first pump and the first motor in the forward state and no flow during the reverse state, the second motor not supplementing the reverse flow, 
 wherein the hydraulic drive manifold is configured to divert a low flow supplied to the second motor during the forward state to the first motor during the reverse state. 
 
     
     
       2. The sickle knife drive of  claim 1 , wherein the second motor is a reel drive motor. 
     
     
       3. The sickle knife drive of  claim 1 , wherein the second motor provides approximately 2 gpm of fluid flow during the forward state and approximately 0 gpm during in the reverse state. 
     
     
       4. The sickle knife drive of  claim 1 , wherein the combine comprises a quick coupler for connection with the manifold case drain connection, the first pump drain and the second motor. 
     
     
       5. The sickle knife drive of  claim 1 , wherein the first pump provides approximately 15 gpm of fluid flow during the forward state and approximately 1-1.9 gpm during the reverse state. 
     
     
       6. The sickle knife drive of  claim 1 , wherein the first motor drives the sickle knife gear box in a harvest mode during the forward state and in a cleaning mode during the reverse state. 
     
     
       7. The sickle knife drive of  claim 1 , wherein the drive manifold is in the forward position when the system state is in the neutral state. 
     
     
       8. The sickle knife drive of  claim 5 , wherein the combine provides 5-10 gpm of fluid flow during the forward state and approximately 1.5 gpm during the reverse state. 
     
     
       9. The sickle knife drive of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one drain configured to drain an excess fluid to the combine.